HARRISON CREEK RECLAMATION PROJECT - OCTOBER 2011

Placer-mined land reclamation efforts performed up to that time generally had been accepted to be inadequate in restoring disturbed valley ecosystems. Historically, reclamation efforts have focused on attempts to design stable stream channels.

During the first Phase of the Harrison Creek Reclamation Project, the BLM contracted with USKH Inc. to develop updated placer-mined land reclamation approaches with applications towards the reclamation of Harrison Creek. Work under this phase included performing literature reviews and field investigations and conducting interviews with parties experienced in placer-mined valley reclamation.

The information gathered under these tasks was used to develop a reclamation study that (a) summarizes major issues involved in placer-mined stream valley reclamation; (b) provides an assessment and review of past and current reclamation practices, approaches, and techniques; (c)  presents recommendations regarding the field assessment of stream channel and valley stability and the recovery potential in previously reclaimed valleys; and (d) outlines the resulting recommended updated reclamation approaches with particular respect to the reclamation of Harrison Creek.Updated reclamation approaches were developed to meet the following goal: Perform reclamation activities that promote and accelerate the steady long-term recovery of instream, riparian, and terrestrial ecosystems in a placer-mined valley. As outlined in the study, this goal can be accomplished using the following five general reclamation approaches:

1. Remove sources of excessive sediment introduction into the stream,

2. Construct floodplains,

3. Promote natural revegetation processes,

4. Supply adjustable channels that will trend toward dynamic equilibrium, and

5. Remove mining-related structures, infrastructure, and waste.

The updated reclamation approaches were applied to the development of design plans for the Phase I reclamation of a portion of the Harrison Creek valley, with construction in 2006. Lessons learned from the 2006 reclamation design and construction were applied to the Phase II and III designs that were constructed in 2009. Further design and construction refinements were made to the Phase IV reclamation design, based on lessons learned from the Phase II and III design and construction efforts. The construction of the Phase IV reclamation design was completed in autumn 2010.

Arnett is the senior hydrologist for USKH Inc. Email: harnett@uskh.com. McMahon is a water resources engineer at USKH and a PhD student at the University of Tennessee.
Email: pmcmahon@utk.edu.